Kaguya's Tale
by Deidara the Arrancar Alchemist
Summary: A tale of Kaguya's adventures as she searches for the truth of her clouded past, traversing long-forgotten lands and realms. Sorry if it starts off slow, but it gets MUCH better as you go along. my first fan-fic, so be nice!
1. Moonlight

**KAGUYA'S JOURNEY**

CHAPTER ONE- MOONLIGHT

As the giant metallic bamboo-shoot soared into the sky, tears glistened on Kaguya's pale cheeks whilst she watched Earth shrink below her. With her face pressed to the glass, circular window of the rocket, she took in her last glimpse of Nippon, the land she had lived in for so long: the thick bamboo grove of Sasa Sanctuary; her beloved grandfather, Mr Bamboo, leaning on his cane gazing up as her craft tore across the sky; and her good friend Amaterasu, the magnificent white she-wolf that had rescued her from imprisonment in the Emperor's Palace. She could even make out the bouncing green form of the tiny Issun balanced atop Amaterasu's head.

"Oh, Grandfather," whispered Kaguya softly. "Farewell."

Back on Earth amid the huge shoots of bamboo, her grandfather sighed and wiped away tears from his eyes. "My prayers are with you, dearest Kaguya." Amaterasu turned to the old man, her ears flattened down in sorrow, a small whine escaping her muzzle. With one last glance at the sky, the wolf goddess turned and sprinted to the city to deal with some unfinished business regarding Queen Himiko.

Soon, Kaguya was so high up that the trees looked like clovers and the mountains were pebbles. Brushing away miserable thoughts, she turned her attention to where she was going.

With fascination, her eyes widened as she passed through wispy clouds and saw the brilliance of the night unfold before her. A myriad of stars glittered before her like fish scales in the inky gloom, the moon as golden as her hair, shining bright.

She blinked in alarm as suddenly memories flashed into her mind.

Pale dusty rock…. A permanently dark sky pierced by starlight… and (most exciting of all) a fabulous city with tall spires and domed roofs.

The memories faded, and Kaguya stared back to the moon.

"Home" she murmured.

Without exactly knowing how, she steered the rocket towards the celestial body. As she neared her destination, anticipation and yearning grew in the bamboo-girl's heart. For years, she had dreamt of returning to the land she was born in. Perhaps here, she would find the answers to her many questions.

Who were her real family? Why had they sent her to Nippon? And most importantly, who was she?

Eventually, the surface of the moon was in sight, and the rocket began to slow down and gently land, the ground shuddering at impact, smoke from the engines crawling across the moonscape.

The door of the bamboo-shoot opened with a soft hiss, and tentatively but with excitement, she stepped down onto her homeland.

The air was a little cold, and there was not the slightest sensation of wind to ruffle her kimono. She felt surprisingly light, almost weightless, but other than that the atmosphere felt fine. She looked down and saw chalky white rock that almost seemed to glow, the surface of the land pitted with the occasional crater. Kaguya's joy was replaced by confusion. Where was the city she had seen in her memories?

Kaguya wandered over the moonscape, lost as a lamb that has strayed too far from the flock, searching for any sign of life or habitation. Hours seemed to pass, and the bamboo-girl was overwhelmed by disappointment. She was about to turn back when something caught her eye. A speck on the horizon.

Hope flared in Kaguya, and picking up the long cloth of her kimono the young maiden ran as fast as she could to whatever it was that lay on beyond.

Her heartbeat quickened as she realised it was the city from her memories. It sprung from the moonrock and was made of the fabric of the moon itself, beautiful as it shone in a ghostly fashion. Even from this distance, she could see that the buildings had carvings on them, deep channels that formed strange, almost entirely straight-lined patterns: spirals, suns, flowers, stars and scenes of the Earth it watched over. Kaguya faintly remembered that these engraving were once filled with bright, pale-blue light, but they now lay dead, the almost comforting glow weakened.

Surrounding the majestic city was a deep gorge filled with pearly water, the reflections throwing ever-changing, dappled light upon her face. She wondered how she was meant to get across to the other side, and she spotted a bridge not too far away. She walked across it cautiously as the stream below her gurgled merrily and sparkled like the River of the Heavens.

Kaguya gasped as she reached the other side. It was not a gasp of joy, delight or even surprised. It was one of horror, for when she entered the city of the Moon Tribe, she found it had been poisoned.


	2. Golden Wings

_Sorry if the pace is slow, but I promise you it will get better. Reviews and criticisms are all welcome. _

CHAPTER TWO –GOLDEN WINGS

The buildings were nothing but crumbling ruins, one proud towers turning to dust. Neatly tended flower beds had become lifeless pits of moon soil, a haven for weeds and thorny brambles. The beautifully arranged trees that once lined curving avenues had become nothing but withered stumps, their soft bark splintered and stained with adhesive sap. But what broke Kaguya's heart the most were the skeletons that were scattered across the ruins. Some clutched smaller corpses, children, as they lay curled in everlasting sleep.

Fresh, salty tears stung her eyes. As she walked through the city that was as dead as its inhabitants, her foot kicked something. She stooped down and picked it up. It was a wooden flute, simply but beautifully decorated with a pale pink pattern of sakura blossoms. She held it tightly to her chest, and murmured to herself "What happened here?"

Her words echoed through the ghost-city, the emptiness and silence as loud as the crash of thunder.

_There must be at least one survivor! _She thought, and she began searching the ruins for any living soul, desperate to find company in this desolate, urban forest.

"Hello!" she called out, meeting no answering call, save for the echo of her own voice.

Her search became more frantic, and an hour passed without any contact. She sighed sorrowfully, and thought of heading back to her rocket. Perhaps her hunt for the truth of her past was fruitless, and now that the one link she had was gone, she thought it would be better to give up, return home, and forget that this ever happened.

She turned, but paused when something captured her attention.

A clearing opened up in the crowd of shattered buildings and broken towers. A square in the centre of the city. Curiosity got the better of her, and she walked towards it, her interest rekindled.

Walking towards it, Kaguya discovered that it was some sort of garden. Or it once was.

Stone paths cut passages through a circular field of dead grass, the garden reduced to a corpse of wilting husks of flowers and ragged hedges. It was a sorry sight. Kaguya had wished she had seen it in full bloom.

A sudden flicker of gold flitted past her eyes. She leapt back, stunned, but smiled when she realised what it was. A pale, golden moth fluttered in dainty circles, the moonlight flashing off its radiant wings. The moon-moth was quickly joined by another of its kind, possibly its mate. The two elegant insects chased each other playfully and danced in an eerie serenade.

The bamboo-girl was filled with a bitter-sweet sensation. She was relieved that there was at least some form of life here, and that they could still rejoice in each other's company regardless of the ruins surrounding them. But Kaguya was also filled with a deep sense of loneliness, greater than she had ever felt it. She missed her Grandfather, she missed Nippon. But she also missed her own kin, the family she had never known but yearned for more than anything.

The moths ended their game and flew off, their departure marked by the twin yellow sheens of light glinting of their crystalline wings. The bamboo-girl's shoulders slumped sadly, but she smiled again as they returned.

"You want me to follow you?" she asked.

They flickered excitedly around her head and raced ahead, waiting for her to follow.

She trailed after the insects, wondering where they were leading her. Perhaps it was to a survivor! She prayed it was.

Soon, the moths came to a halt. Kaguya gasped in awe at the sight before her, though it filled her with pity and sorrow. A giant tree dominated the moonscape; branches arching to the dark sky, caressing the stars, its roots sprawled like long slender fingers. But like everything else in this city, the great tree was a withered echo of a once blossoming beauty, and it stood their alone like a fine vessel reduced to a shattered shipwreck.

Kaguya sighed and sat on the brown grass, which crumpled under her weight. She had seen a few trees like these back in Nippon, scattered throughout the land, and were sacred shrines that were said to house the spirits of nature. They were covered in pale pink flowers and had brought life and joy to the troubled land, watching over the citizens like ethereal sentinels.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the moon-moths hovered beside a shrivelled branch. Confused, she walked over to it, and her eyes widened as she caught sight of a tiny fruit, barely alive, but alive nonetheless.

Leaping to her feet, she ran to the tree and scaled its boughs, gently tugging the fruit from the spindly branch. She clambered down again, and, filled with a sense of purpose, and headed towards a bare patch of soil.

She ripped out the choking weeds whilst the moths watched her work. Once the soil was clear, the bamboo-girl clawed at the dirt and made a reasonable sized hole. Giving the fruit a tender stroke, she planted it and brushed the soil over the top, hoping that it was fertile enough.

"Water!" she exclaimed. She looked around for a water source, and spotted a battered well. She collected a bucket-full of the gleaming water that drained into the channel at the city gates, and tipped it over the buried fruit, water cascading down like glittering rain.

Kaguya sighed. She didn't know what she was doing. But it felt right.

_That's the end of Chapter Two, and Chapter Three will come up in a few days. I hope you enjoyed it! ^^_


	3. Cherry Blossom

_Yay! I'm writing more now of this fan fiction, so sorry if it's been a while. I'm sorry if the pace is slow, but eventually there will be some action. Enjoy everybody!!_

CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Over the next few days, the bamboo-girl tended to her fruit. She found an abandoned house to sleep in, and there was a seemingly endless supply of water available, as well as a storage of strange, dry tasting food. Her time was almost entirely filled up with caring for the growing fruit as well as trying to restore the garden, but often she would search the city for any survivors of the Moon Tribe. Even though she had found none, she never lost that shred of hope that she was alone. And even though she had moths for company, she craved human contact.

Within a week, the fruit had become a healthy green sapling, the rest of the garden steadily returning to life too. After about three months, the shrivelled fruit had become an enormous tree, overwhelming its sister sapling from whence it had came.

But Kaguya became disappointed when the tree failed to shed a single leaf, let alone become sprinkled in blossom. She pondered on how she could coax some life from the tree, but no ideas came to mind.

It was then that her moth companions fluttered frantically around her head, trying to tell her something. In a moment of panic, she backed away and stumbled over a tree root.

Rubbing her head, the bamboo-girl was about to get to her feet when she saw something on the ground beside her. The sakura blossom flute.

She picked it up, frowning in sudden determination. She got to her feet and smoothed down her kimono, tossing her golden hair out of her eyes. She put the flute to her soft lips and played a tune that instantly fell into her head. Even though she did not know it, that particular tune was known by all of the Moon Tribe, and was played by the last surviving Moon warrior when his heart was clouded with bitter sorrow.

As the last notes echoed through the deserted streets, the bare tree began to quiver. The bamboo-girl stared in shock as the tree suddenly sprouted bright green leaves and dazzling blossom. As the tree grew in majesty, the surrounding gardens burst into iridescent bloom in a carpet of magical flora. Then, silence fell as the garden had become restored.

Kaguya almost fainted in surprise at what she had done. What _had _she done?

Suddenly, a pale light shone from the tree and before her very eyes a spiritual woman appeared.

She had jet black hair the colour of raven wings tied into two bunches that looked silky in the moonlight. She had almond-shaped, dark eyes and porcelain skin, and she was a pale pink bikini-like outfit that showed off her fantastic figure. She hovered a few feet of the ground, and around her radiated a sparkling, calming aura the colour of coral.

"Young girl of the Moon Tribe," she said in a voice that echoed slightly and sounded like falling petals. "I give you my humble gratitude for restoring the Guardian Sapling at the very edge of my roots. This Divine Intervention has brought back some life to this lost realm. Your zeal and pure heart have overcome the evil that taints this once fair city."

"Wh- Who are you?" stammered Kaguya.

"My name is Sakuya," replied the woman. "The wood-sprite of Konohana in Kamiki Village. Perhaps you have heard of it?"

"I am afraid I haven't," Kaguya replied timidly. "My name is Kaguya, and I used to live in Kusa Village. Tell me, do you know what has happened back in Nippon? I have not been there for months."

"Fair Nippon is well, Kaguya," answered Sakuya. "The great sun goddess Amaterasu has restored peace to the world by slaying Yami, the Ruler of Darkness."

"Amaterasu?" started Kaguya at the familiar name. "The white wolf that helped me in Se-ain City?"

"The very same" said the wood-sprite.

Kaguya paused a while in thought. "What happened here?" she said softly.

"I have no recollection of what happened to the Moon Tribe. Some say that they fled elsewhere in dark times. Others say that they were destroyed when the Celestial Plain fell."

"I see…" she murmured.

"I am not sure if this will help," said Sakuya, leaning closer. "But in Nippon there once lived a man of the Moon Tribe. A prophet of sorts. I thought he was the last of is kind until I met you. Anyway, it is said that he helped Mother Amaterasu bring back the peace and that he journeyed to the Celestial Plain. Perhaps you should seek out this man.

"Thank you so much!" cried Kaguya with a bow. The link to her mysterious pat was connected once more.

"Farewell, girl of the Moon Tribe," said Sakuya as she began to fade back from where she came from. "May the fresh scent of flowers follow you always!"

And with a final flicker of light, Sakuya vanished.


	4. Bamoo Grove

_Another new chapter people! I promise you soon it will become good! I have a lot in plan for Kaguya, so expect a lot of chapters in the future, at least 4 more. Enjoy ^^ !_

BAMBOO GROVE

Without hesitation, rushed to her dwelling and grabbed some provisions: bundles of food and water. She was anxious to leave, but she wouldn't abandon her common sense. Who knew how far the Celestial Plain was?

She stumbled outside, took once last look at the tree she had so tenderly cared for, and sprinted through the city, back to her bamboo-shoot rocket.

A while later, she was clambering into her craft, pressing buttons and preparing for take-off. Excitement coursed through her veins like liquid fire. Her rocket began to quiver as the turbines slowly spun, smoke gushing from the engines. As the iron shoot began to ascend, her faithful moth companions danced together in a final tango, saying their farewell. They appeared as brilliant specks of gold that spun and dived in harmony with each other. Kaguya waved to them as with an almighty shudder, the rocket left the land of the Moon Tribe, left the crumbling city and the rejuvenated sapling that had brought a shred of hope to the forsaken planet.

**

Kaguya was awoken from her deep, fitful slumber by a loud crack. She gasped when she saw that the rocket was shaking like a leaf caught in a gale, alarms wailing and flames streaming from one of the engines.

Hastily, the bamboo-girl tapped random buttons and controls, praying that there was something she could do.

Suddenly, there was a horrendous explosion and a whoosh of flames, Kaguya screaming as the force threw her to the floor. She clambered to her feet, scanning the map in front of her. Quick observation told her that she had thankfully steered the rocket near Nippon, and she knew she had no choice but to crash land there before her craft was destroyed.

Sparks began to fly from the shattered screens as Kaguya expertly controlled the falling rocket, sweat dripping from her brow in concentration. The bamboo-shoot fell with alarming speed, the outer metal glowing red hot as it entered the Earth's atmosphere. Falling like a shooting star. Kaguya braced herself for impact as the ground became closer and closer, so close that she could see the patterns in the dirt…

**

Kaguya opened her eyes, groaning. Blearily, she sat up, trying to recall what was happening. The wreckage of her craft told her all that. Kaguya checked o see if it was in one piece, and she was relieved to find that she had only minor injuries.

Coughing up dust, she crawled out of the rocket through the battered door. Unfortunately, the rocket had suffered greatly, and she didn't think she'd be able to use it again. Disappointment dampened her spirits. Now how was she supposed to get to the Celestial Plain and find the last surviving man of the Moon Tribe?

"Kaguya?!" exclaimed a voice as familiar to her as her own. With delighted surprise, she spun around and saw the astonished face of her beloved Grandfather.

"Oh, Grandfather!" she cried, throwing her arms around the old man. "I have missed you so much!"

"Kaguya! My grandchild!" he replied, tears streaming down his wrinkled face. They said no more, for there was no words to describe their feelings.

"Where have you been Kaguya? Tell me all about your adventures!"

Kaguya looked around and was a little surprised to see that she was in Sasa Sanctuary. Perhaps she had subconsciously crashed the rocket here.

Leading her grandfather away from the smoking wreckage, she went and sat down on a stone bench. Impossibly tall bamboo shoots watched them as they swayed gently in the evening breeze. Kaguya recounted the tale of her journey, her arrival on the Moon, the dead city, the revival of the Guardian Sapling, her meeting with Sakuya, and finally her landing here. Mr Bamboo nodded wisely as he listened intently. When Kaguya was done, she asked her grandfather if he was alright.

"Yes, Kaguya, much better ever since the sun god returned. Did you hear about it Kaguya?! The wolfy that saved you from the Emperor's dungeons was actually a god! Thanks to her, Nippon is peaceful now. But she left a few days ago to the Celestial Plain to be with the other gods. I came here to make a bamboo offering."

Kaguya sighed deeply.

"What's wrong?" asked Mr Bamboo, concern in his eyes.

"I was on my way to the Celestial Plain when my rocket crashed."

"Good heavens!" gasped her grandfather. "Why were you trying to get there?"

"Sakuya said that there might be a survivor left," explained Kaguya softly. "A prophet that fought with Amaterasu. He went with her to the Celestial Plain, so if I went there, I would meet him and perhaps he could tell me what happened to the Moon Tribe. But now I can't go there." She gestured to the smashed rocket. "I don't know how to the fix the rocket. It's hopeless!" She began to sob.

Mr Bamboo sat there for a while in heavy thought. Sorrow lined his features. He knew that she would have to depart again soon, and this time, there was almost no chance of her returning to Nippon.

"I think I might know someone that can help you."

Kaguya looked up at him, expectant hope in her eyes. "Really? Who?"

"Amaterasu and her prophet companion retuned to the Celestial Plain by the legendary Ark of Yamato," said Mr Bamboo, his eyes distant. "The Ark was located in the furthest reaches of our realm, in the frozen land of Kamui. Perhaps if you were to go there, you might meet someone who knows about the strange race that built the rocket. I heard that the inhabitants of Kamui are enigmatic people, more beast than human in some tales. Magic is no mystery to them, and their shaman is likely to give you some information."

"Grandfather, thank you!" she cried, giving him a long, tight hug that she wished would never end. She too realized that this was probably her last chance with the old man that had raised her so lovingly. She wanted to stay with him, but then she would go her whole life without ever finding the truth. She wanted him to go with her, but the journey through Kamui's harsh wilderness would be too much for him. Even if her rocket had never broken, she knew he wouldn't be able to go to the Celestial Plain with her. He was human, and she was… of the Moon Tribe.

"I love you" she whispered, before slowly rising and collecting her supplies from the bamboo-shoot ruins and walking out of Sasa Sanctuary, heading northwards to lands unknown.

_Yay! Hope everyone enjoyed it. Some more familiar characters will star in the next chapter!!_


	5. Blizzard

_Here is a new update! At last, some proper action!_

BLIZZARD

Kaguya willed herself to keep moving, even though her insides were frozen with cold fire. She shivered like a leaf in a gale as she trudged through snow drifts and battled against the flurry of snowflakes that tore across the night sky.

After days of travelling across a landscape that was foreign to her and sailing across treacherous waters, she had reached the northern realm that her grandfather spoke of. Now that she had arrived at her destination, she was unsure of what to do. This land was harsh and seemed to have a grudge against travellers. She decided that she needed to find shelter until morning, and from then she should try and find someone who could help her in her mission.

Gritting her chattering teeth, she ploughed ahead, hardly distinguishing sky from land in the thick, almost impenetrable snow all around. The entire world around her was blanketed in white, the sky a wreathing mass of black clouds. The wind wailed and howled like a tortured man, screaming in her ears as it tossed the fine, pale powdered snow in her eyes.

A few hours later, Kaguya just couldn't go on. Her pace slowed, and then died altogether, and she collapsed in a curled up heap. She sobbed, fiercely trying to get up. Not when she was this far! Not when she could smell the truth, almost grasp it to her heart.

But she didn't have the strength. This bitter wilderness had sapped up all her energy, drained her willpower. If she was better prepared for what lay ahead, then she would have had a chance. But she didn't, and as tears started to spring from her frost-encrusted lashes, they turned to ice as burned her face as they stuck there. Snow started to pile up on top of her shaking form, engulfing her, but she hardly had the strength to brush it off.

The wind shrieked again, but this time, it sounded louder and far more sinister. Fear pumped through her frozen veins, and she tried to make herself as small as possible and hide from whatever was approaching.

A hazy smudge grew larger and larger with alarming speed as it came closer, and Kaguya gasped in terror as it loomed over her. It appeared to be some sort of imp, though its face was covered by a mask with a kanji symbol written in blood. It had skin like dragon hide, and it was the colour of the snow all around so it blended in perfectly, an ominous chameleon. It carried a long metal pike that it whirled around its head.

The winter imp screamed, and a dozen more yowled in reply. At least ten figures burst from the snow, edging in for the kill. Kaguya was surrounded by bloodthirsty demons, but she hardly at the energy to care. Slaughtered by a pack of imps, or frozen by the elements; either way she would die.

With a scream, the first imp lunged forward. Kaguya closed her eyes, hoping it was quick.

There was a surprised and outraged wail, followed by a snarling roar. Then chaos exploded as through half-closed eyes Kaguya watched as the imps were torn apart by a dark four-legged beast in a hurricane of snow and blood. In a few heartbeats, it was silent apart from the ragged breathing of the animal.

Kaguya stiffened when it turned to face her. Its crimson eyes bored into her own as it padded softly forwards, its dark coat burning against the paper background of snow. With a shaky breathe, Kaguya fainted from lack of energy, and the world turned black.

**

When Kaguya regained consciousness, she could have yelled for joy. She was warm! Blessed heat tickled her stiff body, soothing the numbness and bringing back her vigour. She lay there a while, relishing in the warmth, not wanting to get up.

"Get up" said a soft voice.

Kaguya started. Someone was nearby, very close in fact. The voice was kind, but she heard the demand behind it. She moaned. She didn't want to open her eyes.

"Get up!" said the voice again, a little harder this time. Sighing, Kaguya forced open her eyes, and looked around her odd surroundings.

She was in a relatively small, wooden house, a hut you could call it. A blazing fire smouldered in the middle of the room, and thick animal skin rugs carpeted the floor. Pots were scattered around, and in one corner was a massive log with hundreds of slashes in the deep wood, the result of intensive sword training.

Kaguya's eyes wandered to the spot in front of her, and she froze in shock. A man sat facing her. He wore a dark red jacket over a navy blue jerkin, cobalt trousers, wrist bands on both arms and dark leather boots. He had curious, jagged black hair that was brushed back in spines and streaked with red at the front. But the thing that had scared her was that the man had no face.

She tried to scream, but the only sound that came through her lips was a startled squeak. The man tilted his head to one side, a little confused. He chuckled softly.

"Don't worry," he said. His voice was oddly calming and sounded like the rustling of autumn leaves in the wind, or the sigh of the ocean. "I won't harm you."

Closer inspection showed that the man was wearing a mask that resembled a wolf's face. She sighed in relief and laughed to herself. She had thought that the monsters had returned, and that this man was a demon in disguise.

She sat up, and found that a blanket was wrapped around her shoulders. "Who are you?" she asked.

"My name is Oki of the Oina Tribe," he replied. He rose and sat by her side, a steaming bowl in his hands. "Here, drink this. It will banish the cold from your bones."

She nodded gratefully and sipped the broth. It trickled down her neck, delightfully warm and delicious. Within moments she had drained the bowl. "Those monsters before. Something attacked them. What was it?"

The man laughed. "I saved you."

"But," stammered Kaguya uncertainly. "But, a wolf, it… it…"

"That was me," Oki explained. "For you see, children of Oina Tribe are half man, half beast. We have the ability to change into wolves."

"Really?!" Kaguya was fascinated. She had heard of such tales, but never had she thought them true.

"Would you like me to show you?" There was a hint of mischief in Oki's voice. Kaguya nodded.

Oki stepped back a little, took a breath, and leapt in the air far higher than a human ever could. He span in the air twice in a flurry of red and blue, and when he landed, it was on all fours in the form of a huge wolf. He snarled and Kaguya shrieked.

A sound like laugher came form the wolf's jaws, and he walked up to her and barked out human words. "I didn't mean to scare you there. What's your name?"

"Kaguya."

"Hmm. Pleased to meet you Kaguya."

_End of chapter 5! Hope you all enjoyed it!!! ^^_


	6. Frozen land

_Here is another chapter!! I hope you like it, and remember, more reviews equals faster updates!_

FROZEN LAND

Kaguya awoke after a long, deep sleep and stretched out like a content cat. She opened her pale eyes and saw a high wooden ceiling above her head. A ceiling? She was indoors?

It took a while to remember what was going on and where she was. She had collapsed in the snow and was about to be devoured by winter demons, but she had been saved by a giant, crimson and blue wolf. When she had woken up, she was inside and talking to a man whose face was hidden by a wolfen mask. She found out that this man was in fact the wolf that had rescued her from impish jaws, and that his name was Oki.

She sat up and looked around, but the hut was empty. Soft, yellow light filtered in through the cracks in the wood and under the closed door, so Kaguya assumed it was morning. But it could be evening: she had no idea how long she had slept for. The last thing she remembered was Oki telling her that she should sleep and regain her strength.

A few moments later, the door opened and Kaguya was momentarily blinded by the brilliant sunlight that poured inside. When she reopened her eyes again, she saw Oki silhouetted against the doorway, head tilted to one side as if curious. Kaguya looked down at herself, frowning to herself, and then realised the reason for his interest. The sunlight had illuminated her blond, Moon Tribe hair, making it shimmer like spun gold. Yellow hair was very rare in Nippon. In fact, Kaguya had never seen anyone else with the same hair colour before.

Oki closed the door and sat beside her. "Feeling better?"

Kaguya nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Now, are you going to tell me why a defenceless, young maiden such as yourself who obviously isn't from around here is wandering Kamui alone?"

Kaguya paused for a long time. Could she trust this man, a man that was half wolf? He had saved her, that was true, so he had shown his kindness and courage for her. Nevertheless, she couldn't help being suspicious. She could be a monster in disguise, out to slay the last of the Moon Tribe.

_That's ridiculous! _she said to herself. Now that she thought of it, very few people knew of the existence of her kind, and only Sakuya and her Grandfather knew she was of the Moon Tribe. She could trust Oki.

So, she told him the truth, all of her story up till now. He listened patiently and never interrupted. Kaguya wished he didn't wear that mask over his face because she wanted to see his expressions. It was uncomfortable not knowing what he was thinking of her tale. When she finished, he nodded to himself.

"That's quite an adventure there, Kaguya. So, you say that you are of the Moon Tribe. I had heard of legends of an ancient race more advanced than our own, but never had I thought that such people existed. And you came here to seek knowledge on your lost people?"

Kaguya nodded. "My grandfather said that the Ark of Yamato is of Moon Tribe origin, so perhaps there are other relics of my people here. At least that's what I hope."

Oki thought to himself for a while. "I should take you to see Tuskle, our shaman. She knows all about the Ark and related legends. Maybe she can help."

"That would be great!" cried Kaguya. "Except…"

"Except?"

"How do I know that I can trust you?" The words blurted out before she could stop herself, and she regretted them immediately. She clapped her hands to her mouth, as if by doing that the question would never have been spoken.

Oki tensed, but then relaxed. "If you want proof of my trust, would it help if I told you that I fought with Amaterasu?"

"You did?"

"Yes," Oki's voice was distant, but there was a hard edge underneath. "Me, Amaterasu and her Poncle companion Issun battled the twin demons, Leckchu and Neckchu. We help rid Kamui of a dark blizzard, which resulted in the Ark breaking free of Laochi Lake. Amaterasu then battled the Ruler of Darkness within the iron ship whilst Issun restored faith in the people's hearts, becoming the next Celestial Envoy. With his help, darkness was defeated and peace returned. Me and Amaterasu did not know each other long, but I tell you that we were loyal to each other, brothers in arms. Is that satisfying enough?"

Kaguya nodded glumly. "I didn't mean to ask for your trustworthiness. It's just, I am not used to strangers and this mission, it's daunting and incredibly important to me, and I can't afford to make mistakes."

"I understand," said Oki. "Let's go visit Tuskle."

**

The pair of them walked towards the north, heading for the main village of the Oina, Wep'Keer. Oki explained that they had to pass through the village to get to Laochi Lake, the loch where the iron Ark of Yamato crashed into and rose from. Apparently, the Oina shaman lives right beside the lake, next to Wawuku Shrine, a holy place within the twin volcanoes of Ezofuji.

The snow had stopped falling, and it was a lot easier to trudge through the snow, but Kaguya couldn't stop tripping over occasionally. The land of Kamui was actually a lot more beautiful when it was ravaged by a snowstorm, the snow sparkling white and pristine underneath a stark blue sky. Cranes flew gracefully over icy ponds whilst snow hares chased each other and leapt over frozen rivers. A few times, Kaguya saw huge, grey bears lumbering through the snow and was about to hide until Oki told her that they wouldn't hurt her.

"They are friendlier than they look, and would harm you unless you hurt them first."

They crossed a bridge that led to Wep'Keer, but something caught Kaguya's eye. A dark smear sprouted to the east, a vast, thick forest of impossibly tall trees that stretched as far as she could see. The darkness cast by the shade of the trees almost seemed to beckon her in.

"What's that?" she asked.

"That is Yoshpet, the forest of confusion," said Oki. "It is dangerous there for us Oina, for animals can not stand the poison of the pollen in the trees. If we stay to long in there, we will fall asleep and become lost forever."

"I see" she murmured in reply.

They passed the deep forest, and even though it was evident that Oki wanted to get away from the suffocating branches of Yoshpet, Kaguya knew that this was the last she would see of that place.

"Here we are" announced Oki, and Kaguya stepped around a snow drift and entered Wep'Keer.

_How did you find that chapter? I'm guessing there will be about 4 more chapters, and each of them will be pretty good. ^^_


	7. Shattered Lake

_HUZZAH! An update at last! Sorry that it's been, like, months, but an update is still an update, no matter the wait. I sincerely hope you enjoy it._

_AUTHORS NOTE! : There's been a change of plan. There will be a lot more chapters, meaning more enjoyable reading time :D_

SHATTERED LAKE

Kaguya's eyes widened as the village of Wep'Keer unfolded before her in a dazzling, ivory curtain, her misted breath coming out in rapid plumes. A little way in front of her, a shimmering, glassy pool of ice spread out in a circular shape, it's fogged up, mirrored surface dusted with a light frost. An island of snow rose from the centre, two granite pillars incrusted with granules of ice rising up into the intense sky, their tops decorated with birds, their wings splayed. Torches still smouldered even though their fires had been extinguished now that the sun had risen, spirals of smoke puffing out of the tall chimneys of the little huts that lined the shores of the ice pool.

"What do you think?" asked Oki, his masked face turning to look at Kaguya.

She glanced to him at replied "I think it looks very beautiful. I've only been in these northern lands for a day or so, and then it was hit by a blizzard. I haven't really had the opportunity to appreciate the hidden beauty here, or admire how your people survive in the snows."

Oki said nothing in reply, but Kaguya guessed that behind the mask he was smiling. He jerked his head forwards and walked on, gesturing that she should follow him. She picked up her pink skirts and trudged after him up a flight of slippery stairs to the left.

The stairs led up and around and then turned to great, arching ice bridges that were covered in a thick layer of muffling snow. They passed a few more wooden huts with little picket fences and herds of sheep grazing on tufts of grass that poked out of the frozen ground. Eventually, they reached the top of the cliffs and came face to face with a large hut to the left, and a pair of wooden double-doors, made of heavy oak lashed engraved with crimson patterns, that stood ajar and led further upwards, closer to the shadows of Lake Laochi.

Oki and Kaguya climbed another set of steps, past spindly trees and lumpy snow drifts. As they crested a ridge, Kaguya panting slightly with the effort, they came face to face with an enormous open space.

A vast lake, many times larger than the ice pool at the entrance to the village, sprawled out and spread cold fingers of dark, curdling water punctured by shards of glittering ice as thick as the width of a man. A gaping tear lay in the middle of the lake, as if something had erupted from its depths. Sheer-sided cliffs topped with snow surrounded the lake, and before it stood a granite altar with a pillar at each corner and a fine, ceremonial sword thrust through a hole in the centre, its blade gleaming like the ice of the loch. Twin peaks soared high into the cerulean sky: Ezofuji. Kaguya remembered Oki telling her that their shaman lived at the feet of the two summits, and shielding her eyes against the glare of the sun she spotted a tiny hut perched on the edge of a cliff.

Oki followed her gaze and nodded. "Yes, that's where Tuskle lives. We just need to climb this ridge, and then we'll be there."

Kaguya groaned internally as she saw the steep path they had to ascend. She wasn't used to so much hard exercise that the sturdy Oina Tribe could deal with, and it didn't help that she was wearing a kimono that dragged along the ground behind her.

A few minutes later, they were at the hut; an almost ramshackle, minuscule building set beside a pair of sinister, cold iron gates that seemed to ward of strangers with an imposing scowl. Oki knocked on the door, paused a moment, and went in, Kaguya following into the gloomy interior after him.

_Oh geez, sorry that chapter was so short, but I'm real busy at the moment. Remember, reviews equal love! No more reviews, no more updates – it's as simple as that!_


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